Fallen Elements (10 page)

Taking a deep breath, Ryan felt she could
push forward. “The women in the family have always worked closely
with non-profits and various philanthropic causes throughout the
city.” Taking a drink of her water, Ryan struggled to find the
words for what she wanted to say. “I - it wasn’t until I got older
that I realized it never was about the causes as much as the
socialization and the
appearance
of doing something. And it
was rarely about people.”

Leah’s brow furrowed. “What was it
about?”

Ryan tore a piece of bread off, and before
putting it in her mouth continued. “Gardens, parks, symphonies.
That sort of thing.”

Leah smiled. “Those sorts of things can help
people.”

Ryan nodded, chewing on her bread. “Yes, but
if you can’t afford to pay your electricity bill, or replace a
broken window in the dead of winter, what the hell do you care if
there’s a park three blocks from your house?”

“Good point.”

“When I asked my mother why we didn’t put
more of our resources toward soup kitchens, or ensuring affordable
housing was available, she very quickly replied that the family
didn’t provide handouts.”

Leah paused mid-bite, a distressed look
crossing her face. But then she didn’t respond, and Ryan wasn’t
sure what to make of it. Leah had been friends with her mother, and
maybe she was surprised by the comment.

“What?” Ryan was alarmed to hear the single
syllable utterance exit her mouth. She did not want to talk about
her mother with Leah.

Leah leaned back in her chair, her eyes
focused on her nearly empty tray of food. “I agree with you. If
basic needs aren’t met, everything else falls by the wayside.”

Ryan wasn’t convinced that was what Leah
meant at all, but she didn’t want to be antagonistic. “Exactly.”
Picking her fork up, Ryan ate the last of her gobhi aloo. Glancing
up at Leah, Ryan was caught off guard by the sadness that was
suddenly shadowing the woman’s face.

“Leah, are you okay?”

As if snapping out of a trance, Leah looked
up at Ryan and managed a faint smile. “I am. You’ve just given me
some stuff to think about.”

“Like what?” Ryan hoped the conversation was
shifting to more sure footing.

Tossing her napkin in the empty food
container, Leah sighed. “Sometimes we - I can take a lot of things
for granted. I’m always hopeful people will do the right
thing.”

“We all do.” Ryan slid the slice of cake in
front of her.

Leah nodded. “Doesn’t excuse it.”

Ryan wasn’t sure what they were talking
about. Leah’s tone seemed fatalistic and dire, and disproportional
to what they were discussing. Ryan didn’t want to go down that path
with Leah; so she pushed her slice of cake to the center of the
table. “Want to share?”

Leah grinned, and patted her stomach. “I’m
stuffed, but thank you. Besides, how are you going to reach that
one pound goal if you give it away?”

Pulling the cake back towards her, Ryan
chuckled. “Momentary lapse in judgment.”

Glancing at her watch, Leah frowned. “I hate
to do this, but I have to run.”

“Oh. Ah, okay.” Ryan stood up as Leah pulled
her coat off the back of her chair. Fumbling in her back pocket,
Ryan pulled her phone out. “Can I get your number? Maybe we can
hang out again?” The simple request had taken more nerve than Ryan
had imagined, and she was unable to make eye contact with Leah.

“Okay.” Leah casually agreed, and rattled off
her phone number.

Ryan furiously typed, and repeated the digits
back to Leah. “Got it. Thanks.”

“What should we do?” Leah picked her tray
up.

Ryan hadn’t expected an immediate invite to
be requested, but was thrilled at the prospect of nailing down
another outing with the beautiful blonde. “Well - ah, my spring
flag football with BSSC is starting next week. Do you want to come
out and watch?”

Leah smiled. “Sounds like fun. Text me the
information?”

Ryan nodded, and quickly gathered her empty
containers and half-eaten cake onto her tray so she could leave
with Leah.

“Aren’t you going to finish the cake?” Leah
asked as she dumped the contents of the tray into a nearby waste
bin.

“I actually have to get going myself. I’ve
got my roommate’s car, and she needs it back.” Ryan emptied her
tray and stacked it on top of Leah’s.

Nodding, Leah walked towards the escalators
with Ryan behind her. Standing near the crosswalk that led to the
parking garage, Leah turned to Ryan. “I’m glad we ran into each
other.”

“We seem to be good at that.” Ryan joked,
thinking about Nicole’s stalker comment from earlier.

Leah smiled. “There are worse
coincidences.”

Ryan nodded, feeling tongue tied and not sure
how to end the interaction. “Well, see you soon.” Against her will,
Ryan thrust her right hand out toward Leah.

The blonde looked down at Ryan’s hand, her
eyes narrowing as she took Ryan’s hand in hers. “Ah, absolutely.”
Pulling her hand free, Leah walked toward the garage. “Don’t forget
to send me the BSSC information.”

Ryan waved. “Will do.”

As Leah disappeared around the corner, Ryan
slammed her eyes shut.
I am so cool. I shook her hand. I fucking
shook her hand.
Walking back to the car, Ryan wanted to punch
herself in the face. She didn’t want to be swept away or enamored
with anyone, much less a woman nearly twenty years older than her
with an as yet undisclosed history with her family.

The residue of Ryan’s childhood and
adolescents with her family had left her feeling that everyone she
had ever loved she had loved alone. Her mother had been a distant,
critical woman who saw only herself in her daughter. She had never
known her father, but more importantly, he had never shown an
interest in knowing her.

Carol had been Ryan’s only true source of
familial love growing up, but even she held her own feelings close
because of the obscure and obstructed relationship she had with her
own mother. The Myers women were riddled with contradictions,
fears, and secrets.

Ryan sat in the car, her hands resting on the
top of the steering wheel. She had spent nearly a third of her life
educating herself, but since meeting Leah, she felt she didn’t know
anything worthwhile.

Isaac has been nominated for an Assistant’s
Cabinet position to aid the Governor!

He bounded into our home a week ago with
this glorious news. A position within the government of the colony
will most certainly afford us favor with The First Comers. Though
Isaac’s father was too one of the original Saints, and the Allerton
name is on the very document that made this great colony possible,
our financial struggles have put us at odds with debtors that
otherwise would be friends.

Isaac assures me with this new appointment,
and the promise of a bountiful spring and summer, our child will be
born into its God given birthright.

I have opted to stay with Margery and her
mother while Isaac attends the monthly council meeting. Their home
is small, and though it has been provided to them by the church in
exchange for Margery’s midwifing services, they show no less pride
in its upkeep then if it had been their very own.

Heaven be praised! Isaac returned today with
wonderful news. The court has elected him as one of seven
Assistants to the Governor. I could not be happier for my husband
as he steps back into the role our family so rightfully
deserves.

The only failing of the day was almost
immediately upon returning home, Isaac was struck ill with a
terrible ache in his stomach. Luckily Margery was paying her
bi-weekly visit, and was able to assist the poor man.

Margery tended to him for nearly an hour,
and then only left at my insistence as it was growing increasingly
dark and cold outside. A short while after, Isaac was almost
completely well. I thank God daily for Margery and her healing
ways!

Isaac has warned me very little of our daily
lives will be altered due to his recent successes, but I have no
doubt that our standing in the community is on the rise. Our child
is one of a Forefather, and will reap the benefits therein.

I will pray this night that my husband may
lead this colony with guidance from our Lord, and that we should
have the courage - as a people preordained by God - to walk His
path.

25 February 1628

We have been truly blessed! The General
Court has seen fit to grant us two additional plots of land for
farming. The additional yields will allow us to repay our debts
within two years. I cannot recall the last time I saw Isaac so
elated. I dare say this gave his soul more joy than even
appointment to the Governor’s office.

He has rushed out to procure additional
contracts for laborers as poor William would be worked to death
less we provide him further help. The spring and summer promise to
be the most fortunate for our budding family. Margery tells me our
child is doing well, and she can see no reason the birth should be
delayed much beyond the middle of May.

Isaac will leverage this new land and
procure seed for turnips, carrots, and barley. He has even gone so
far as to advise the Governor to open trade with nearby tribes. I
confessed my misgivings over dealings with the savages to Margery.
I do not think she fully understands the dangers those people
present, but true to her nature, she comforted me all the same.

I find myself hoping Margery and I may
remain friends long after the birth of my child as I have grown so
very fond of her.

Chapter 6

Ryan had received a call from her mother’s
attorney Michael Johannes that she needed to go to his firm’s
downtown Baltimore office to sign paperwork pertaining to Karen’s
estate. Ryan thought it had been serendipitous that less than an
hour after the call from Mr. Johannes, the Howard County recruiter
had contacted her to offer her the Community Liaison position.

“That’s great news! I thought I would need to
do another interview.” Ryan had practically gushed with
excitement.

“Mr. Hammond was very pleased with you, and
your qualifications.” The recruiter had assured her.

The salary was nearly ten thousand less than
Ryan had been asking for, something the recruiter acknowledged and
explained was beyond the hiring manager’s control, given the job
grades inherent in government positions.

Ryan had accepted the position anyway, and
felt fortunate that now she had the financial flexibility to do
what she loved, regardless of the compensation. It was a novel
position for her to be in, and certainly not one she took for
granted.

Ryan had stood in front of her closet for
nearly five minutes, wrapped in a bath towel, her hair damp from
her morning shower, trying to decide what to wear to the attorney’s
office. She finally decided she had spent entirely too much time
thinking about it, and opted for a pair of Levi’s jeans, brown
leather flats, and a lightweight green cable knit sweater.

“Where are you off to?” Nicole was working
from home, and had strewn her work across the dining room
table.

Pulling her pea coat on, and wrapping a brown
wool scarf around her neck, Ryan hoisted her brown leather mailbag
over her shoulder. “I got the job.” She had wanted to be casual
about it, but in the end, Ryan couldn’t contain her excitement as a
broad smile spread across her face.

Nicole squealed and jumped up from the table.
Rushing towards Ryan, she threw her arms around her.
“Congratulations!”

Ryan hugged Nicole as best she could while
her friend hopped around.

“When do you start?” Nicole - leaned back,
still holding Ryan by the shoulders.

“April 6th.” Ryan dislodged herself from her
enthusiastic roommate.

“Where are you going?” Nicole looked at
Ryan’s bag. “We have to celebrate.”

“Later. I have to go fill out some
paperwork.” Ryan took her house keys from the hook near the front
door.

“I hope you pass the drug test.” Nicole
teased.

Ryan started to correct her friend, and tell
her the paperwork didn’t have to do with the job. But for reasons
she didn’t fully understand herself, Ryan continued to keep her
secret.

Ryan took the MTA bus into downtown
Baltimore, and smiled to herself as she waited at the crowded
crosswalk. The Reynolds, Hawkin and King law firm was housed in a
ten story office building that sat near the corner of East
Baltimore and South Gay Street.

“Ms. Myers, can you follow me please?” Lisa
Blakely was Ronald Perkis’ paralegal, and an attractive dark haired
woman in her early thirties. She was wearing a black pencil skirt
that hit just at her knees, with a form fitting, silk gray blouse.
She had on a pair of tortoise shell Ray-Ban prescription glasses
that Ryan had commented she liked. The woman had blushed, and Ryan
decidedly liked that too.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like a coffee, or
some tea?” Lisa asked as she took Ryan down a long hall, and into a
sprawling office that afforded Ryan a view of Baltimore’s Inner
Harbor.

“Some water?” Ryan asked as she entered
Ronald Perkis’ office and sat down in a Trevi style brown leather
chair.

“Certainly. Mr. Perkis will be in shortly.”
Lisa closed the mahogany wood door as she left.

Ryan looked around the office. It reminded
her of her mother’s study - ornate and altogether too much. The
door opened, and instead of Lisa, a man in his sixties walked in.
He was dressed in what looked like an expensive black suit with a
conservative maroon tie. As men went, particularly older men, Ryan
imagined Ronald Perkis would be a catch.

“Ms. Myers, it’s nice to meet you. I was
sorry to hear about your mother.” He crossed the office with his
hand extended toward Ryan.